Offset-reduced hall element

ABSTRACT

A Hall element comprises a region having a non-zero Hall constant, a first contact for supplying an operating current to the region, a third contact for conducting the operating current from the region, the first and third contacts defining a direction of the operating current within the region, a second and a fourth contact for tapping a Hall voltage, and a conductor pattern connected to the first contact or to the third contact and substantially surrounding the region laterally or being arranged above or below the region. The conductor pattern has the effect that the intrinsic field of the operating current through the Hall element is suppressed outside the Hall element such that the Hall element effects an at least reduced offset in adjacent Hall elements. In addition thereto, the arrangement of the conductor pattern has the effect that effects of the current return on the Hall voltage generated by the Hall element itself are also at least reduced. An offset reduction is possible simultaneously on an element, by way of suitable implementation, also for both operating current directions in a spinning-current operating mode.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to Hall elements, and in particular toHall elements with offset compensation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

Hall elements make use of the Hall effect, for example, for measuring amagnetic field. The Hall effect is understood to be the occurrence of anelectric field perpendicular to the current density vector j as a resultof the effect of a magnetic field. The perpendicular electric field E iscalculated by the following equation:

E=−R(j×B).

In this equation, R is the Hall constant. For impurity semiconductors,the Hall constant is proportional to the difference between the mobilityof the holes in the semiconductor and the mobility of the electrons inthe semiconductor.

Materials having Hall constants that are sufficiently high to be used assubstrate or sensor region or simply as a region for a Hall element, arefor example intrinsic-conduction InSb, In(AsP), InAs or lightly p- orn-doped regions on silicon. Two contacts are used to conduct anoperating current through the region.

In contrast thereto, the two other contacts are used for tapping theHall voltage formed due to the Lorentz force which leads to deflectionof the moving charge carriers due to a magnetic field acting on the Hallelement. After a short period of time, there is created an electricfield in the Hall element that is directed perpendicularly to theoperating current and has such an intensity that the Lorentz forceacting on the charge carriers of the operating current is compensated.

The Hall effect or a Hall element, in addition to measuring a magneticfield in accordance with magnitude and sign thereof, may also beutilized for multiplication of two electric quantities, i.e. themagnetic field and the control current, or for contactless signalgenerators. An additional possibility consists in arranging a Hallelement in the vicinity of a conductor track and to measure, innon-contacting manner, the current in this conductor track by detectionof the magnetic field generated by the current through said conductortrack.

FIG. 5 illustrates a planar Hall element 100, comprising a region 100formed of a material having a sufficiently high Hall constant. It is tobe pointed out that, in the sense of the present description, the regionof the Hall element having a non-zero Hall constant may either be a Hallsubstrate itself, which could be applicable for larger Hall elements,while however the region may also be a portion or region of anintegrated circuit which in known manner is embedded in the ICsubstrate, e.g. in a well, or which has been modified by specifictechnological steps in order to have a corresponding Hall constant.

The region illustrated in FIG. 5 is of cruciform shape, which affordsthe advantage that the Hall element shown in FIG. 5 is also suited forso-called spinning current operation, i.e. that the operating current Ican be passed through region 100 via contacts K1 and K3, while howeverin a different mode of operation, the operating current I may also bepassed through the region via contacts K2 and K4, with the Hall voltage,of course, being present then at contacts K1 and K3 such that the samecan be tapped at terminals A1 and A3. For the following considerations,however, and without restriction to the general nature, it will beassumed for reasons of convenience that the operating current I isapplied via terminals A1 and A3, i.e. is fed to and removed from theregion via the contacts K1 and K3, while the Hall voltage is given by apotential difference between the contacts K2 and K4, i.e. can be tappedat the terminals A2 and A4.

In addition to a region 100 with a non-zero Hall constant and thecontacts K1, K2, K3 and K4 for contacting the region 100, a Hall elementof course needs also leads 110, 120, 130 and 140 for electricallyconnecting the corresponding contacts K1 to K4 to the correspondingterminals A1 to A4. In case of the known Hall element shown in FIG. 5,the leads 110 to 140 are designed in accordance with the practicalcircumstances. Practical circumstances consist in particular in thatthere is, for example, the requirement that all terminals A1 to A4should be arranged closely together in order to be passed, for example,to a central switching unit for spinning current operation. In thatcase, it is necessary, as shown in FIG. 5, to pass at least one lead,namely lead 130, around the Hall region 100. In other words, lead 130comprises a first section 130 a corresponding to the direction of thecurrent I, a second section 130 b perpendicular thereto, as well as asection 130 c directed parallel to current I, but having the currentflowing therethrough in the direction opposite to the operating currentI.

As has already been pointed out, Hall elements serve for measuring anexternal magnetic field acting on the Hall region. For carrying out sucha magnetic field measurement, however, an operating current must be sentthrough the region so that a Lorentz force can act at all on movingcharge carriers. Of course, this operating current I, like any current,also has a magnetic field which also leads to local Hall voltages in theregion. However, as the effects of this local intrinsic field aresymmetric with respect to the central axis of the current in the elementproper, there is no Hall voltage created on the outside of the element,i.e. at the contacts K2 and K4, that could be tapped via the terminalsA2 and A4. This local intrinsic field of the operating current I in theHall region, however, acts in its full magnitude on neighboring Hallelements if arrays of Hall elements are used, as is the case in spinningcurrent operation with mechanical pre-compensation. The intrinsicmagnetic field of a Hall element in an array of Hall elements, due toits magnetic field generated and penetrating the neighboring element,leads to a measurement signal there that makes itself felt as an offset.The magnetic field generated by the operating current thus issuperimposed on the external magnetic field to be measured in the firstplace. Thus, there is always an offset problem caused by the magneticintrinsic field of the active sensor region when there are severalsensors provided in the immediate vicinity, since the intrinsic fieldsof the sensors have the effect of an external magnetic field on therespective other sensors.

An additional problem in the known arrangement shown in FIG. 5 arisesdue to the terminal leads 110 to 140 which any Hall element needs tohave. For connecting the terminals A1 to A4 of the Hall element to adriving control, it is as a rule necessary, as already pointed outhereinbefore, to pass at least one of the current-carrying leads, in theexample of FIG. 5 lead 130, around the region 100. In the typicalexample of the prior art, as shown in FIG. 5, the unfavorable lead fromterminal A3 to contact K3 consists of the differently aligned partiallengths 130 a to 130 c.

Leads 130 a to 130 c deliver the following magnetic fields. The magneticfield generated by the operating current flowing through element 130 astill is symmetric with the current flow in the active part of the Hallregion and therefore generates in region 100 no Hall voltage that isexternally measurable. However, this does no longer apply to the twopartial lengths 130 b and 130 c. The magnetic field generated in theseconductors acts on the region in its full magnitude and is measured bysaid region as well, i.e. itself produces a Hall voltage between theterminals A2 and A4. Due to the fact that this additional field isalways present when the element is in operation, it appears to theoutside like a fixed offset which the element has. Only by changing theoperating current is it possible to distinguish this share from a realoffset, in that a normal offset changes linearly with the operatingcurrent, whereas the offset caused by the operating current due tointerference fields changes in square fashion with the operatingcurrent.

The document DE 1 019 745 A discloses a magnetic-field dependentresistor assembly and in particular a Hall generator in which a resistorbody is of parallelepiped shape having on two opposite narrow sidescontacts for supplying an operating current and for removing anoperating current, respectively. Each electrode has connected thereto alead wire extending laterally around the resistor body. In the middle oftwo other sides of the parallelepiped shape, there are arranged thetapping locations for the Hall voltage, which have lead wires connectedthereto. The lead wires are twisted with each other.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,293,586 discloses a Hall plate element comprising asemiconducting material displaying the Hall effect and applied on alayer of mechanically protective, insulating material. Contacts forsupplying an operating current are formed by depositing a conductivematerial in electric contact with the semiconducting material.Furthermore, contacts for tapping the Hall voltage at the semiconductingmaterial are provided by establishing ohmic contact with thesemiconducting material. The ohmic contacts have conductive stripsconnected thereto that extend beyond the semiconducting material, sothat contact wires may be soldered thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a Hall element ofreduced offset.

In accordance with a first object of the present invention, this objectis achieved by a Hall element comprising a region having a non-zero Hallconstant; a first contact for supplying an operating current to theregion; a third contact for conducting the operating current away fromthe region, the first and third contacts defining a direction of theoperating current within the region; a second and a fourth contact fortapping a Hall voltage; and a conductor pattern connected to the firstcontact or to the third contact and substantially surrounding the regionlaterally , the conductor pattern comprising two partial conductors thatare connected to the first or the third contact, that are connected toeach other and extend, on respective opposite sides of the region,around the region in the direction of the contact to which they areconnected, such that an operating current across the contact to whichthe two partial conductors are connected, can be divided into twooperating current shares across the two partial conductors.

In accordance with a second object of the present invention, this objectis achieved by a Hall element comprising a region having a non-zero Hallconstant; a first contact and a third contact for supplying an operatingcurrent to the region and for conducting the operating current away fromthe region or, optionally, for tapping a Hall voltage; a second and afourth contact for tapping a Hall voltage or, optionally, for supplyingan operating current to the region and conducting the same away from theregion; wherein two conductive areas are provided which are botharranged above the region or below the region or are arranged withrespect to the region such that one conductive area is arranged abovethe region and the other conductive area is arranged below the region,wherein the first conductive area is connected to the region inelectrically conductive manner in order to form the first contact, withthe first conductive area in a contact region of the first contact beingmoreover electrically isolated from a remainder of the first conductivearea; wherein the second conductive area is connected to the region inelectrically conductive manner in order to form the third contact, withthe first conductive area being not present in a contact region of thethird contact, so that the first contact is electrically isolated fromthe third contact except for the region; wherein the first conductivearea is connected to the region in order to form the second contact,with the second conductive area being not present in a contact region ofthe second contact; and wherein the second conductive area is connectedto the region in order to form the fourth contact, with the secondconductive area, in a contact region of the fourth contact, beingmoreover electrically isolated from a remainder of the second conductivearea.

The present invention is based on the finding that one has to departfrom the opinion valid so far, namely to design the leads merely inaccordance with the practical circumstances, but without taking intoconsideration the operation of the Hall element and the effects thereofon the environment, respectively, in order to provide an offset-reducedHall element having on the one hand a reduced offset due to its ownoperating current and having on the other hand also lesser effects onadjacent Hall elements. Although there are presumably methods known intechnology for calibrating such offset errors out, it is generallybetter at all times to not allow such errors to be generated at all,whereby more reliable and less complex and thus less expensive elementsmay be implemented.

Contrary to the prior art, in which the operating current leads aredesigned simply in accordance with the external practical circumstances,a Hall element according to the invention has a conductor structure orpattern that is connected to the first or third contact andsubstantially surrounds the region laterally or is arranged above orbelow the region. Such a conductor pattern has the effect that themagnetic fields of the current through the Hall element and of a currentin the conductor pattern for returning the operating current cancel eachother out at least in part in a region outside of the Hall element, i.e.where other Hall elements may be placed, while the magnetic field of thecurrent in the leads at the same time acts on the region as well assymmetrically as possible, so that the magnetic field generated by thecurrent in the conductor pattern, itself does not lead to a Hall voltagein the element. Thus, according to the invention, the intrinsic magneticfield of a Hall element is shielded at least in part from other Hallelements by simple measures, and the additional effect achieved is thatthe magnetic field of the leads acts at least somewhat symmetrically onthe Hall element itself, so that the operating current does not resultin a Hall voltage at the element itself.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, the conductor pattern isin the form of a sheet-like metallization above the region so that,analogous with two adjacent flat conductors with different directions ofcurrent flow in the interior thereof, i.e. between the region and themetallization plane, an in theory twice as large magnetic field ispresent tangentially to the surface of the region, whereas the fieldsperpendicular to the surface as well as all fields outside of thearrangement of region and metallization area are substantially zero orgreatly reduced.

Due to the fact that the Hall region can only detect fields extendingperpendicularly to the surface, this leads to a considerable reductionof the electric field in the element caused by the intrinsic field.

This metallization area may be arranged either above or below theregion, and may have a geometric shape corresponding to that of theregion, which provides for high offset freedom, or a shape notcorresponding to the geometric shape of the region which, thoughresulting in reduced offset freedom, already leads to distinctimprovements as compared to the prior art.

In accordance with an additional embodiment of the present invention,the conductor pattern for return comprises a first section and a secondsection which branch in the vicinity of the third contact and are passedaround the region preferably symmetrically so as to substantiallysurround the region. Here too, a shift of the magnetic field in thesurroundings of the Hall region takes place so that the magnetic fieldin the surroundings of the Hall region becomes symmetric to the same andthus does not lead to a Hall voltage. Outside of the return, i.e. inareas where other Hall elements may be placed, there is in contrastthereto just a greatly reduced magnetic field present. This embodimentcan be realized more easily in terms of circuit technology since thereare no different metallization planes necessary. However, as compared toa second metallization plane as conductor pattern, it has thedisadvantage that the offset freedom is not quite as complete.

It may thus be summarized that the conductor pattern according to theinvention, due to the fact that it substantially surrounds the regionlaterally or is arranged above or below the region, at the same timereduces both the interfering influence of the return line on the regionas well as the intrinsic field acting on other Hall elements that arearranged in the vicinity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detailhereinafter with reference to the drawings in which

FIG. 1A shows a Hall element according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 1B shows a Hall element according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a Hall element shown in FIG. 1Aor FIG. 1B;

FIG. 3 shows a Hall element according to a further embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 shows a Hall element according to an additional embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a known Hall element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A shows a Hall element according to a first preferred embodimentof the present invention. The Hall element comprises, just as the Hallelement shown in FIG. 5, a region 100 having a non-zero Hall constant,four contacts K1, K2, K3 and K4 as well as four terminals A1 to A4 eachconnected to their respective contacts, as shown in FIG. 1A. In contrastto the known Hall element shown in FIG. 5, the Hall element shown inFIG. 1A comprises as conductor structure or pattern a metallization 10,which in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1A is arranged above region100. However, it is to be pointed out that the metallization 10 couldalso be arranged below the region, yielding the same effect.

The leads from terminals A2 and A4 to contacts K2 and K4, in staticoperation, may be chosen in the usual manner as they are unproblematicwith respect to magnetic fields as they are almost no currents flowingtherein if the Hall voltage is measured in non-contacting manner.

However, in the event of a mode of operation corresponding to “spinningcurrent”, the contacts K2 and K4 must be designed in accordance with thecontacts K1 and K3 as well. This means a further metallization planeabove the Hall region which, for example, returns the contact K4 to thelocation of the contact K2 in accordance with the contact K3 above theregion.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1A, thegeometric shape of the conductor pattern 10 is substantially equal tothe geometric shape of the region 100, except for the fact that thecontacts K1, K2 and K4 are not covered, such that the leads fromterminals A1, A2 and A4 can be terminated here without a problem.However, if a suitable technology is employed, the conductor pattern mayalso extend completely over the region 100 or be larger than the region,however, with the best compensation results being achieved when theconductor pattern 10 also is symmetric with respect to the axis ofsymmetry of the region.

FIG. 1B shows a conductor pattern of reduced surface area, which is inthe form of a strip 10′ only and results in not as complete offsetcompensation as in case of the conductor pattern 10 of FIG. 1A, butwhich already provides for considerable improvements as compared to theprior art. The best offset reduction results are achieved again if theconductor pattern 10′ is arranged symmetrically with respect to the axisof symmetry of region 100; if region 100, as in case of FIGS. 1A and 1Billustrating a cruciform region, has two axes of symmetry, the conductorpattern should be symmetric with respect to the axis of symmetry alongwhich the operating current I flows through region 100.

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the Hall elementillustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively. It is assumed that theoperating current is introduced into the region 100 via terminal A1 andthe lead from terminal A1 to contact K1 and flows along the arrow markedI to the contact K3 and there flows a short distance upwardly and thenreverses its direction and flows back to terminal A3 in a directionopposite to the operating current I in region 100.

As regards the current path outside of the region, it is to be pointedout that it is sensible here too, for reducing the effects onneighboring Hall elements, that the lead-in and lead-out of theoperating current continue in two different planes on top of each other.This is possible in case of many manufacturing technologies by twometallization planes ME1 and ME2, as outlined in FIG. 2. As analternative, the leads may also extend immediately adjacent each otheror even in intertwined fashion in order to obtain the effect that themagnetic fields of the two conductors are greatly reduced, except in theregion between the conductors. As regards the space between region 100and the metallization structure 10, there may be used any dielectric 12,which typically will be predetermined by the technology used.

It is to be pointed out that, due to the anti-parallel currentconduction in region 100 on the one hand and in the conductor pattern 10on the other hand, the effect occurs that a relatively strong magneticfield appears in dielectric 12, whereas a greatly reduced magnetic fieldis present in the area outside the conductor pattern, i.e. aboveconductor pattern 10 and below region 100, respectively, since the twomagnetic fields cancel each other out there. The very strong magneticfield present in dielectric 12, however, due to the direction provided(tangentially with respect to the surface), does not have the effect ofa Hall voltage, so that there is thus no Hall voltage appearing betweencontacts K2 and K4. It is to be pointed out that properties of completesymmetry of the conductor pattern 10 are indeed desirable, but possiblycannot be realized at all times. The compensation effect, however, doesnot decrease suddenly, but slowly so that certain asymmetries due toexternal conditions may be acceptable since there is still aconsiderable part of magnetic field cancellation taking place in theouter region.

It is obvious that the conductor pattern 10 may also be providedunderneath the region 100 and that the effects achievable thereby aresubstantially the same as if the return current were passed above theregion, i.e. if the conductor pattern 10 is provided above region 100.

In the following, reference will be made to FIG. 3 illustrating a Hallelement according to the invention comprising two metallization planes,with the return line shown for contacts K1 and K3 in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2being realized in analogous manner for the contacts K2 and K4 on theother metallization plane as well. Such an element then has terminalportions 30 and 32 on two sides only, and both terminal portions may beused either as lead-in and lead-out of the operating current (terminalportion 30 for terminals A1 and A3) or as Hall voltage tap (terminalportion 32 for terminals A2 and A4). In FIG. 3, the region 100 is ofsquare configuration. Furthermore, there are a first metallizationplane, shown in FIG. 3 in hatched form from the upper left to the lowerright, as well as a second metallization plane, shown in FIG. 3 inhatched form from the lower left to the upper right. The two contacts K1and K2 establish a connection between Hall region 100 and the firstmetallization plane, i.e. the metallization plane hatched from the upperleft to the lower right, whereas the contacts K3 and K4 establish aconnection between region 100 and the second metallization plane, i.e.the metallization plane hatched from the lower left to the upper right.The diamond-shaped hatching in the essential part of FIG. 3 and interminal portions 30 and 32 is to point out schematically that bothmetallization planes, i.e. the first metallization plane and the secondmetallization plane, are provided on top of each other here, while beingisolated from each other, of course.

The operating current is supplied to contact K1 via the firstmetallization plane and from there is supplied into region 100, wherethe operating current then flows to contact K3 and from there reachesthe second metallization plane via contact K3, in order to flow backacross the second metallization plane to terminal portion 30 whereterminal A3 is now constituted by the upper metallization plane. It canbe seen from FIG. 3 that the first metallization around contact regionK1 is isolated from the first metallization plane arranged over theremaining area of region 100, and that also in the region of contact K3the first metallization plane is not provided, so that there is noshort-circuiting caused between first metallization plane and secondmetallization plane.

Terminal A2 is connected via the second metallization plane to contactK4 and via the contact K4 to region 100. The Hall element is connectedfurthermore to the first metallization plane via contact K2, so that theHall voltage may be tapped via terminals A4 and A2 for the first andsecond metallization planes. It can be seen from FIG. 3, that in theregion of contact K4, the second metallization plane is isolated fromthe sheet-like second metallization plane above. region 100, and thatfurthermore the first and second metallization planes are electricallyisolated from each other at contact K4 in contact region 32 just as incontact region 30, so as to avoid short-circuiting there. It can be seenin addition that contact K2 is not connected to the first metallizationplane, i.e. that the second metallization plane does not extend as faras the region of contact K2, so as to exclude short-circuiting here aswell.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 has the advantage that there stillare only two terminal portions present and that the operating currentsupply can take place not only via terminals A1 and A3, but just as wellvia terminals A2 and A4, which is advantageous when spinning currentoperation is desired.

FIG. 4 illustrates an additional embodiment of the present invention inwhich the conductor pattern for returning the current is not arrangedabove or below region 100, but is designed so as to substantiallysurround the region. This is achieved by dividing the conductor patternin the vicinity of contact K3 into two conductor portions 10 a and 10 bsuch that approximately half of the operating current I flows back inboth conductor portions 10 a and 10 b. Thus, there are formed twopartial terminals A3 a and A3 b for the conductor pattern. These twoterminals, shown separately in FIG. 4, may readily be shorted again,i.e. connected to each other, by the external wiring. Though theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 is not as efficient as the firstembodiment, having a metallization area above or below, respectively, asregards its reducing effect on the magnetic fields located outside ofthe Hall element, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has the advantage thatthere are no two different metallization areas necessary. Thus, thisoption can also be used if just one plane can be utilized. For reducingas much as possible the effects of the operating current return throughthe conductor pattern 10 a, 10 b on the Hall voltage to be tapped atterminals A2 and A4, conductors 10 a and 10 b should possibly be ofequal length so that the operating current is separated in like parts,since the ohmic resistance of the conductors 10 a and 10 b will then bethe same. In addition thereto, the two elements 10 a and 10 b should bereturned possibly symmetrically on both sides of region 100, however,with the exact return path being not of decisive significance. Theeffects of the operating current return on the Hall voltage at terminalsA2 and A4 is best when the current is split into exactly equal halves inconductors 10 a and 10 b and when the conductors are as symmetric aspossible with respect to the axis of symmetry of the region along whichthe operating current I flows. Deviations from symmetry, however, do notsuddenly result in loss of compensation, but merely in a slowlyincreasing offset which, depending on the application, should still betolerable, but which is already reduced considerably as compared to thecase shown in FIG. 5, in which the return path does not extend aroundregion 100.

We claim:
 1. A Hall element comprising: a Hall region having a non-zeroHall constant; a first contact for supplying an operating current to theHall region; a third contact for conducting the operating current awayfrom the Hall region, the first and third contacts defining a directionof the operating current within the Hall region; a second contact and afourth contact for tapping a Hall voltage; and a conductor patternconnected to the first contact or to the third contact and substantiallysurrounding the region laterally, the conductor pattern comprising twopartial conductors that are connected to each other at a connectingpoint, the connecting point being connected to the first contact or thethird contact, wherein the two partial conductors extend, on respectiveopposite sides of the Hall region, around the Hall region in thedirection of the contact to which they are connected, such that anoperating current across the contact to which the two partial conductorsare connected, is divided into two operating current shares across thetwo partial conductors.
 2. A Hall element according to claim 1, whereinthe two partial conductors are of equal length.
 3. A Hall elementaccording to claim 1, wherein the Hall region is symmetric with respectto an axis of symmetry, the first and third contacts being located onthe axis of symmetry and the partial conductors being symmetric to eachother with respect to the axis of symmetry.
 4. A Hall element accordingto claim 1, wherein the partial conductors substantially follow theouter contour of the Hall region.
 5. A Hall element according to claim1, wherein the Hall region has a shape, wherein the shape is selectedfrom the group consisting of a rectangular shape, a square shape or acruciform shape.
 6. A Hall element comprising: a Hall region having anon-zero Hall constant; a first contact and a third contact forsupplying an operating current to the Hall region and for conducting theoperating current away from the Hall region or, for tapping a Hallvoltage; a second contact and a fourth contact for tapping a Hallvoltage in case of the first contact and the third contact are forsupplying the operating current or for supplying an operating current tothe Hall region and conducting the same away from the Hall region incase of the first contact and the third contact are for tapping the Hallvoltage; wherein two distinct conductive areas are provided which areboth arranged above the Hall region or below the Hall region or arearranged with respect to the Hall region such that one conductive areais arranged above the Hall region and the other conductive area isarranged below the Hall region, wherein the first conductive area isconnected to the Hall region in electrically conductive manner in orderto form the first contact, with the first conductive area in a contactregion of the first contact being moreover electrically isolated from aremainder of the first conductive area; wherein the second conductivearea is connected to the Hall region in electrically conductive mannerin order to form the third contact, with the first conductive area beingnot present in a contact region of the third contact, so that the firstcontact is electrically isolated from the third contact except for theHall region; wherein the first conductive area is connected to the Hallregion in order to form the second contact, with the second conductivearea being not present in a contact region of the second contact; andwherein the second conductive area is connected to the Hall region inorder to form the fourth contact, with the second conductive area, in acontact region of the fourth contact, being moreover electricallyisolated from a remainder of the second conductive area.
 7. A Hallelement according to claim 6, wherein a dielectric is arranged betweenthe conductive area and the Hall region.
 8. A Hall element according toclaim 6, wherein a dielectric is provided between the first conductivearea and the second conductive area.
 9. A Hall element according toclaim 6, wherein the first and second conductive areas are made of amaterial selected from the group consisting of metal or a semiconductormaterial.
 10. A Hall element according to claim 6, wherein the geometricshape and expanse of the conductive areas corresponds to the geometricshape and expanse of the Hall region, respectively.
 11. A Hall elementaccording to claim 6, wherein the Hall region has an axis of symmetry onwhich the first and third contacts are arranged, and wherein theconductive area is symmetric and oriented in accordance with the axis ofsymmetry.
 12. A Hall element according to claim 6, wherein the firstcontact is connected to a first terminal, wherein the second contact isconnected to a second terminal, wherein the third contact is connectedto a third terminal, wherein the fourth contact is connected to a fourthterminal, wherein the first and third terminals are arranged on top ofeach other, and wherein the second and fourth terminals are arranged ontop of each other.